About 120 senior-level, second-semester nursing students and assigned faculty with Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing have volunteered to help administer the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine at the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District vaccination clinic. Every Thursday through March at the Waco Convention Center, two faculty and about two dozen nursing students will help at each weekly clinic. The nursing school also plans to assist with vaccination clinics at Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas and Plano, Parkland Hospital in Dallas and several other Dallas-area hospitals in the weeks ahead. “It is extremely important that we get as many people as possible vaccinated as soon as the vaccine becomes available,” said Linda Plank, interim dean of the Louise Herrington School of Nursing. “The more people available to assist, the sooner we gain herd immunity and get past this pandemic.”

Bill Blocker, president of the College of Biblical Studies in Houston, is the keynote speaker for the Linn and Betty Self Symposium at Stark College and Seminary. “One Christ, One Family” is the theme of the livestream event at 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 11. Prior to his arrival at the College of Biblical Studies, Blocker  was vice president and dean of educational services at Moody Bible Institute and senior pastor of Christian Fellowship Church on the south side of Chicago. Access to the livestream is free. To register, click here.

Registration is open for Howard Payne University’s Spring Family Reunion. Events are scheduled beginning at 10 a.m., Feb. 20, at Gordon Wood Stadium. Advance registration entitles participants to join in a tailgate celebration featuring free food, along with music by Austin Upchurch and his band. Registrants also receive tickets to the HPU vs. McMurry University football game at noon. Facemasks will be required, and other COVID-19 public safety protocols will be followed. For more information or to register, click here.

Forty students from throughout Texas and as far away as California are part of the first cohort of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Master of Science in Physician Assistant degree. UMHB launched the 28-month degree program recently—the only one of its kind between Dallas and San Antonio. For more information, click here.

Baylor University named Sue Mayborn of Temple as the recipient of the 2021 Baylor University Founders Medal. Established in 1969, the Founders Medal is reserved for men and women whose service and contributions have been unusually significant to the life and future of the university. She played a major role in the building of the Sue & Frank Mayborn Natural Science and Cultural History Museum Complex at Baylor and its ongoing renovation, along with creating the Sue Mayborn Endowed Scholarship Fund in Journalism and providing support for Baylor Libraries. She is a Baylor Alumna Honoris Causa and recipient of The Herbert H. Reynolds Award for Exemplary Service. She also was honored with the Pro Texana Medal of Service from Baylor in 2015. She is the owner, editor and publisher of the Temple Daily Telegram and the Killeen Daily Herald. She is a member of Memorial Baptist Church in Temple.

A professor in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business and a Baylor alumna received a National Science Foundation grant to combat human trafficking. Stacie Petter, the Ben H. Williams Professor of Information Systems and Business Analytics at Baylor, and Laurie Giddens, a doctoral graduate of Baylor who is now assistant professor of computer management and information systems at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, earned a $249,998 planning grant. The grant will enable them to form an interdisciplinary team that will analyze obstacles and propose solutions and training to empower law enforcement and other organizations to combat human trafficking more effectively. “Our charge in this grant is to focus on understanding three important questions, which will allow us to better support the individuals and organizations who fight human trafficking,” Petter said. “First, how do criminals use information technology in the course of criminal activity? Second, how is law enforcement using technology to find criminals? And finally, how can we create interventions and resources to help law enforcement be proactive in identifying criminal activity and addressing these problems?”  Petter and Giddens will form and lead a team of individuals from law enforcement, the legal system, information systems, engineering, social sciences, economics, the non-profit sector and more to eliminate siloed understanding across industries and disciplines.

Anniversary

20th for Jonathan Clark at Baptist Temple in San Antonio, where he is executive pastor. He has served the church in a variety of roles, including minister of music and associate pastor.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Baylor University enacted weekly COVID-19 testing requirements for students and opened its own on-site testing lab and research facility in partnership with My Labs Direct, a certified and accredited diagnostic lab that offers an extensive menu of FDA-approved tests. The multi-million dollar lab is one of the largest testing labs of its kind owned by a university with no affiliated medical school and addresses Baylor’s ongoing need to conduct extensive coronavirus testing of its faculty, staff and students. With the new capabilities, Baylor will have the ability to test 100 percent of the student body each week. The new partnership creates a lab at the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative that will allow the university to operate at least three on-campus testing sites with the capacity to conduct up to 150,000 diagnostic tests from January through May. With additional capacity for processing non-Baylor community tests, the lab can process up to 8,000 more tests daily with most results available within 24 hours. In addition to providing extensive COVID-19 testing, they will provide other robust and high-demand testing capabilities, including forensic testing like genetic fingerprinting and paternity testing, food safety testing for food-borne pathogens, toxins and genetically modified organisms, livestock testing and human health diagnostic testing like rapid point-of-care influenza tests. Since the university opened for on-campus learning amid the pandemic in the fall of 2020, My Labs Direct has provided a majority of Baylor’s COVID-19 testing needs—about 35,000 tests. “We are pleased to join in partnership with My Labs Direct to build our own COVID-19 testing lab, which will greatly extend our campus testing capability and help us continue to keep our university community safe, healthy and on campus,” said Nancy Brickhouse, provost at Baylor. “This partnership also aligns with Baylor’s aspirations to be a Research 1/Tier 1 university, providing vital infrastructure and developing opportunities for faculty research and internships, practicums and business training programs for our undergraduate and graduate students.”

In support of Dallas County’s mass COVID-19 vaccine distribution, Texas Baptist Men disaster relief volunteers are helping distribute pre-packaged box meals and coffee to the staff and medical professionals who are administering the vaccines at Fair Park, near downtown Dallas. Volunteers began serving Jan. 25, and the effort is expected to continue at least through the end of March. Each day, a TBM team leader and six additional volunteers will provide pre-packaged boxes of food to the doctors, nurses, staff and other volunteers who administer vaccinations. TBM is seeking volunteers—including church groups—to help staff the initiative. Shifts last from 6:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, email David.wells@tbmtx.org or call (214) 275-1100.

Dallas Baptist University marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day with community service and prayerful reflection. DBU students and staff began the day volunteering in the community kitchen at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Dallas. Later, DBU held its fifth annual MLK Unity Walk on the Hill. Participants spent time praying for peace and unity for the country led by Jay Harley, vice president for student affairs; Tempress Asagba, dean of students; Jake Bell, vice president of the Black Student Union; and Hadassah Examond, treasurer of the Black Student Union. As part of the Unity Walk, participants gathered for worship at the cross that stands between the Mahler Student Center and Patty and Bo Pilgrim Chapel. The worship service included remarks by DBU President Adam Wright; music led by Bob Brooks, dean of the Graduate School of Ministry; and a prayer for unity led by Lee Bratcher, director of the Institute for Global Engagement. The event concluded with King’s “I Have a Dream” speech recited by Pastor Bertrain Bailey of St. John Baptist Church in Dallas and a DBU trustee, and a closing prayer by Cendy Sanchez, vice president of the Hispanic Student Union.

Ralph Douglas West, founding pastor of The Church Without Walls (Brookhollow Baptist Church) in Houston, and Charlie E. Dates, senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, have been appointed as affiliate faculty members of Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary. “These godly and gifted ministers will add appreciable strength to our ongoing commitment to equip God-called people for gospel ministry in and alongside Christ’s church by the power of the Holy Spirit,” Dean Todd Still said. In the role of affiliate faculty, West and Dates will add significantly to Truett’s Doctor of Ministry and Ph.D. in Preaching programs, in addition to engaging with and contributing to the seminary’s Black Church Studies Program, he added. West earned his undergraduate degree from Bishop College, his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his Doctor of Ministry degree from Beeson Divinity School at Samford University. He also serves as the W. Winfred and Elizabeth Moore Visiting Professor of Ministry Guidance for Baylor University. Dates earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his M.Div. and Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is an affiliate professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and NFL Chaplain for the Chicago Bears.

Daniel Carroll R. (Rodas), Scripture Press Ministries professor of biblical studies and pedagogy at Wheaton College and Graduate School, will deliver the 14th annual Currie-Strickland Distinguished Lectures in Christian Ethics at Howard Payne University, Feb. 4-5. He is the author of eight books, including Christians at the Border: Immigration, the Church, and the Bible. He will speak on “The Bible and Immigration: The Scripture as Foundation and Compass” at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 4, and on ““Stories from Then and There that Resonate Here and Now” at 10 a.m. on Feb. 5. The lectures, which are free to the public, will be presented in the Mabee University Center’s Bullion Suites. The lectures also will be livestreamed on the HPU School of Christian Studies Facebook page for guests unable to attend in person. Visit www.facebook.com/hpuscs or www.hputx.edu/curriestrickland to access the livestreams on both days. To request reservations or more information, contact HPU’s School of Christian Studies at currie-strickland@hputx.edu or (325) 649-8403.

Richard Fountain, professor of piano at Wayland Baptist University, has been named to the Fulbright Specialist roster for 2021-25. Established in 2001 by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright Specialist program is designed to send highly qualified professionals to host institutions around the world to share their skills and knowledge. Those chosen for the program will also gain international exposure, learn about other cultures and develop beneficial relationships that will carry on beyond the scope of the initial project. The specialist program focuses on short-term projects that last from two to six weeks. Fountain—who also is primary keyboardist for the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra and the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra—applied to the program and was selected by a peer review panel based on his qualifications, academic curriculum vita, letters of recommendation, suitability for specialist grant activity, communication skills, adaptability and overall benefit to the stakeholders. More than 150 countries participate in the Fulbright Specialist program with approximately 425 specialists traveling abroad each year. Specialists encompass 24 eligible disciplines and subject areas. Along with designing and conducting the initial programs, specialists are encouraged to continue working with host institutions following the initial projects, creating opportunities for ongoing cooperation.

Howard Payne University was awarded a $600,000 challenge grant from the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation to benefit the renovation of the university’s historic Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom facility. The Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom houses the Guy D. Newman Honors Academy, the university’s multidisciplinary honors program. The academy building is a Brown County landmark, incorporating the original building of Daniel Baker College, dating back to 1890, and housing a collection of MacArthur’s artifacts and other historical displays. The $2 million renovation project will focus on the building’s main hall and wings, dating back to the 1960s, which will bring the facility up to date and provide new life for its use by students, visitors and university personnel. The Midland-based Mabee Foundation has awarded more than $1.2 billion in grants since its founding in 1948. As stipulated by the challenge grant, HPU now has one year to raise the nearly $600,000 remaining to complete fundraising for the project.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Howard Payne University Alumni Association recently voted to recognize the Jacket Alums in Ministry as a recognized chapter of the association. JAM is designed to foster fellowship and networking opportunities among the university’s alumni who serve or have served in Christian ministry. The organization’s name refers to the university’s mascot, the yellowjacket. “Our university will always need three essential things—prayer, promotion and provisions,” said Chris Liebrum, a 1973 HPU graduate and vice president for external affairs. “This elite network of alums who have given their lives to vocational ministry can help HPU with all three.” JAM officers are Bobby Broyles, a retired pastor, as president; Jeffri Malone Foster, a youth minister, as first vice president; David Cozart, an executive pastor, as second vice president; and Randy Johnson, a retired youth minister, as secretary. JAM already is involved in promoting an on-campus Ministry Monday event on Feb. 1. For more information or to register for the event, click here.

Ollie Gilstrap, adviser in the Graduate School of Business at Dallas Baptist University, was elected to serve on the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce. She also is president-elect of South Dallas Business and Professional Women’s Club, whose mission is to promote and protect the interests of African American business and professional women, serve as a bridge for young people seeking to enter business and their professions, to improve the quality of life in the local and global communities, and to foster good fellowship. Gilstrap earned her undergraduate degree in business administration and master’s degrees in business administration and organizational management from DBU. After retiring from her 24-year human resources career with AT&T, Gilstrap accepted her first position at DBU in 2000 as an academic counselor, recruiter and professor in the College of Adult Education.

Anniversary

40th for Kenneth Wells as pastor of Northview Baptist Church in Lewisville on Feb. 14.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Pastor Michael Evans of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield, immediate past president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, was sworn in as his city’s mayor on Jan. 11. He is the first African American to serve Mansfield in that leadership role. Judge Clifford Davis, who litigated school desegregation in Mansfield in 1956, administered the oath of office.

As SAT/ACT testing availability remains challenging for high school students due to COVID-19, Baylor University has announced the extension of its test-optional admissions policy for the fall 2022 and 2023 application cycles for incoming freshman students. Last spring, Baylor announced its fall 2021 admissions cycle would be test-optional to serve the complex and unique needs of high school seniors and their families during the pandemic. About half of the university’s fall 2021 incoming freshman class has applied without standardized test scores but with a continued strong academic profile. The final admissions deadline for the fall 2021 class at Baylor is Feb. 1. “To assist prospective students and their families, Baylor will confidently continue the test-optional policy for both incoming fall 2022 and fall 2023 students and reevaluate for future years,” said Mary Herridge, senior director of undergraduate admissions at Baylor. “This decision puts Baylor in the best position to provide an equitable application process and enroll academically successful students who also can contribute to our campus community in significant ways.”

The Marsh Center for Chaplain Studies at B.H. Carroll Theological Institute will offer a free webinar from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 28 covering lessons learned through the use of innovative methods and technologies to deliver spiritual care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presenters in the webinar include career chaplains in business, hospitals, the military, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, correctional systems and parachurch ministries. To register for the webinar, click here.

The Howard Payne University Women’s Club will host its annual Yellow Rose Scholarship Luncheon on April 15 at 11:30 a.m. in HPU’s Mabee University Center. The luncheon will host a panel featuring three generations of HPU alumni in the same family. Sarah Ramos, executive assistant to the associate vice president of enrollment management, will be joined by her great aunt, Minerva Delgado Lopez of Houston, and mother, Anna Delgado Ramos of Pflugerville. Teri Davis Andrews of Houston will receive the Yellow Rose Award at the luncheon. The Yellow Rose Scholarship recipient will be named later. The deadline for table sponsorship is Feb. 12. For more information, call (325) 649-8006 or click here.

Retirement

Butch Foster as minister of education and activities at First Baptist Church in Goldthwaite, effective Dec. 31, after more than 39 years on staff there. Through the years, he served in multiple roles, including youth minister, children’s minister, senior adult minister and associate pastor. For 23 years, he was on the administrative team for the Youth Congress at Heart of Texas Camp in Brownwood. He also launched the Mills County Ministerial Association’s “Christmas Wish” ministry more than 30 years ago, a program that provides food and gifts to families in need.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Buckner International and Wayland Baptist University launched a collaboration to provide volunteer and missions opportunities, humanitarian aid drives and enhanced experiential learning opportunities for Wayland’s students. “This collaboration with Wayland Baptist University provides Buckner with an opportunity to strengthen students understanding of mission, leadership and social work through practical experience,” said Albert Reyes, president and CEO of Buckner International. “The new opportunities will support WBU’s ongoing commitment to creating a transformative environment of faith and innovative learning.” Volunteer opportunities with Buckner will include international and domestic missions, shoe drives and other forms of aid. Wayland will create credit and non-credit opportunities for students to intern and train at Buckner ministry locations for experiential learning in Texas and internationally. “Wayland Baptist University is pleased to enter into agreement with Buckner International, whose mission to transform and restore lives parallels Wayland’s mission of service to God and humankind,” said Wayland President Bobby Hall. “Our students will benefit from new mission and experiential opportunities with Buckner while they are in school, as well as from employment opportunities after they graduate. We look forward to growing our relationship with Buckner International in the years to come.”

Tony Miranda, pastor of First Baptist Church in Robstown, will serve Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas as director of Abundant Churches, a new initiative funded by a nearly $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Foundation. Miranda, president of Convención, was campus pastor and director of the graduate program at Stark College and Seminary. He holds degrees from Universidad Autónoma de La Laguna in Mexico, Baptist University of the Américas and Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary. The Abundant Churches initiative is designed to help Hispanic Baptist congregations in the ministry challenges they face—varied immigrant generations, diverse language usage and rapidly changing cultural needs. Over five years, up to 50 congregations will have the opportunity to participate in a congregational learning experience that will explore challenges, solutions, resources and practices to help them fulfill their ministries. The congregations will create individualized plans and have the opportunity to receive financial resources of up to $9,000 to implement their plans.

Dallas Baptist University awarded degrees to 401 graduates during four winter commencement services held in Pilgrim Chapel on Dec. 17 and 18—the first in-person DBU commencements in 2020. To follow appropriate safety precautions, participants were seated in a manner to provide for social distancing, and all attendees were required to pass a health screening test and wear face masks. Four graduates presented each of the commencement addresses: Tempress Asagba, Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership, who is dean of students, chief diversity officer and chair of DBU’s Community Advocates for Racial Equality committee; Jonathan Fechner, Master of Arts degree in intercultural studies, who is executive director of BridgeBuilders, a nonprofit organization that serves South Dallas; Daniel Salters, Master of Business Administration degree, who is assistant to DBU Chancellor Gary Cook and a former professional baseball player in the Cleveland Indians system; and Chase Durham, Master of Arts degree in discipleship, who is student pastor at Cottonwood Creek Church in Allen.

CORRECTION: Dr. Tempress Asagba’s name was misspelled and has been corrected.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Baylor University officials completed a two-day virtual hearing Dec. 15 with a seven-member panel of the NCAA’s committee on infractions. President Linda Livingstone characterized the hearing as “the next step in the NCAA process for Baylor.” The NCAA launched its investigation into Baylor’s athletic department in June 2017 after multiple allegations of Title IX violations, including sexual assaults committed by Baylor football players. In October 2018, Baylor received formal notice from the NCAA of allegations involving lack of institutional control. “The university is bound by NCAA policies and procedures to maintain as confidential the details of the case until a decision is announced by the NCAA in the months ahead,” Livingstone said. “However, we believe we were given a fair opportunity to present our positions, and as we move forward, we remain excited about the future of our football program.” Individuals who were targets of the initial investigation no longer are associated with Baylor.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor awarded 388 undergraduate degrees, 76 master’s degrees and 41 earned doctoral degrees at its fall 2020 commencement services, held Dec. 11 at Crusader Stadium. Madison Henry of Killeen received the Loyalty Cup, awarded to the student who is considered most representative of the ideals, traditions and spirit of the university. The President’s Award for meritorious service went to Molly Rodeffer of Salado. The Provost Medal for highest overall grade point average was awarded to 15 students who each graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA: Kaitlynn Birkes of Moody; Hope Brents of Round Rock; Lauren Burns of Houston; Tyler Childs of Boerne; Burt Cruz II of Copperas Cove; Devyn Dockal of Belton; Casey Faichtinger of Sealy; Sydney Harris of Deer Park; Savana Jones of Lorena; Stephen Steger of Temple; Rachel Stepanov of Georgetown; Samantha Swisher of San Antonio; Breanna Tucker of Clovis, N.M.; Keri Urbantke of Temple; and Ashlyn Wimberly of Waco. UMHB President Randy O’Rear commended students for their dedication and determination to finish their degrees during a pandemic. “The grit and perseverance that each one of you showed while you completed your studies set you apart, and it’s truly something that deserves to be applauded,” he said.

Howard Payne University’s Student Speaker Bureau speech and debate team claimed overall sweepstakes and debate sweepstakes at the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association Fall Championship tournament, held virtually. Julie Welker, professor of communication and department chair at HPU, is the team coach. HPU competed against 18 colleges and universities from California, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas. In other competition, HPU’s Model United Nations team won the second-place award for overall team performance in the virtual Northwest Model United Nations conference. First-time delegate Sierra Ross, a senior from Galveston, received a distinguished delegate award, one of three such awards on a 30-student committee. David Claborn, professor of government, is faculty adviser for the Model United Nations team. Model United Nations is a simulation that uses current world issues to allow students to practice problem-solving through diplomatic means.

Fishing League Worldwide named East Texas Baptist University the 2020 Tackle Warehouse School of the Year. The ETBU bass fishing team ended the Abu Garcia College Fishing season with 2,319 points—the highest year-end total in the national competition. ETBU placed in the top 10 in all four of their qualifying tournaments this season, their best being a first-place finish in the Fishing League Worldwide Qualifier on the Ouachita River. Cameron Burger is head coach of the ETBU team.

____________________________________________________________________________________

For 26 years, members of Oak View Baptist Church in Irving have spent Thanksgiving Day serving Irving. Although the church could not serve hot meals this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, teams of volunteers assembled and distributed more than 600 gift baskets to apartment complexes throughout the city. The gift baskets were designed to feed a family of four and consisted of ham, boxed and canned goods, fruit, rolls and cookies. Volunteers also packed 250 sack lunches for the homeless. “I see a great impact that Serving Irving has, because you can interact more with the people in our community, and they see that the church is alive,” said Roy Soto, missions pastor at Oak View Baptist Church. “We are not just saying Jesus loves you with words but with actions.”

Michael Evans, immediate past president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, was elected mayor of Mansfield in a Dec. 8 runoff election. Evans, senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, is the first African American to hold that position. He has served as president of the school board for the Mansfield Independent School District. He is a regent of Baylor University and trustee of Tarrant County College.

Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio presented the Spirit of Health Award to the San Antonio Food Bank. Cody Knowlton, president and CEO of the foundation, presented the award to Eric Cooper, president and CEO of the food bank, which is celebrating 40 years of helping people in need. The food bank assisted 120,000 families a week since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio presents the Spirit of Health Award annually to organizations and individuals who have a remarkable impact on health within the foundation’s eight-county service area. The award recognizes organizations or individuals for their community leadership, compassion and dedication. In addition to the award, the San Antonio Food Bank also received a $500,000 grant from the foundation to expand its e-referral system, which connects families with critically needed services and care. The Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio awarded more than $8 million in grants this year to more than 100 area nonprofits for health-related causes.

Baylor University erected bronze statues on the McLane Stadium Plaza recognizing two former students who received the Medal of Honor for their heroism in World War II. U.S. Army Corps Col. John Riley Kane, who flew 43 combat missions, led his bombers in a mission known as Operation Tidal Wave to bomb the Ploesti oil refineries in Romania on Aug. 1, 1943. Clouds hampered the low-level, long-range air raid, but Kane led a successful attack against a prepared Nazi defense in a grueling 2,400-mile round trip mission. By the time his bomber turned back, he had lost an engine and been struck more than 20 times by anti-aircraft artillery. He circled the bomb site until all of his squad was clear of the fight, a decision that burned up his fuel and caused him to crash-land in Cyprus before reaching his home base in North Africa. Kane received the Medal of Honor nine days later. U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Andrew Jackson “Jack” Lummus Jr. led his rifle platoon in a daring charge on Japanese fortifications on the island of Iwo Jima on March 8, 1945. He ignored grenade blasts and a shoulder injury to knock out three enemy strongholds that were preventing his platoon from reaching its objective. After this show of bravery, he was mortally injured when he stepped on a land mine. Despite the loss of both his legs, he continued to shout directions to his men, pushing them to keep going until he was carried off the battlefield. Lummus died from his injuries later that day and posthumously was awarded the Medal of Honor. A gift from A. Haag and Millette Sherman of Houston made the statues of Kane and Lummus on the Baylor campus possible.

Howard Payne University recently hosted The ARK (Advocacy, Respect, Kindness) Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Shelter’s annual candlelight vigil honoring victims of domestic abuse, celebrating survivors and emphasizing the community’s commitment to ending domestic violence. Bonnie Gosnell, a survivor of domestic violence, spoke about her experience with domestic violence and how she overcame it. Other speakers discussed domestic violence in the community and how The ARK responds to it. The vigil ended with the lighting of candles and a moment of silence to remember victims. The annual vigil on the HPU campus always includes The ARK’s “empty shoes” display, with each pair of shoes representing a Central Texas individual who died as a result of domestic violence. “Domestic violence is a social problem that affects both men and women of any socioeconomic class, culture or ethnicity,” said Rachel Derrington-Bourke, assistant professor of social work and director of HPU’s social work program. “As a community we can commit to ending domestic violence by increasing awareness, assisting victims and their children and teaching individuals how to recognize healthy relationships.”

East Texas Baptist University conferred undergraduate degrees on 104 students and graduate degrees on 26 students during socially distanced ceremonies on Dec. 5. Students were allowed to choose their participation style, either in-person or virtual. ETBU President Blair Blackburn presented the President’s Award to Denedra Taylor, who graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. She is a member of Psi Chi international honor society, Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society and Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. She also was a volunteer coach with the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Pines and a peer mentor. She also was part of the ETBU women’s basketball program.

In response to ongoing concerns about COVID-19, Wayland Baptist University will offer “homecoming@home”—a virtual homecoming celebration for alumni and guests on Feb. 19-21. The event will include options to connect alumni using technology as well as offer some traditional parts of the weekend virtually. Moving class reunions and other gatherings to the Zoom teleconference platform can mean more alumni will be able to participate since the challenge of travel is removed, said Teresa Young, director of alumni relations at Wayland. A “Homecoming in a Box”—filled with gifts to help alumni and their families enjoy the weekend events together and exhibit their school spirit—will be mailed to the first 200 alumni requesting one. Several traditional homecoming activities will be available for viewing online, including the alumni award recognition on Friday evening, Feb. 19, and the Athletics Hall of Honor induction the following morning. Sporting events will be livestreamed on the athletics website. The Legacy on the Links Golf Classic will help generate additional funds for the Alumni Loyalty scholarships, and the virtual Pioneer 5K Fund Run will allow running or walking enthusiasts—or those who aspire to be—to compete for awards wherever they live and support the university at the same time.

Real estate investors C.T. “Sparkey” & Merrie Beckham from Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas received the Russell H. Perry Free Enterprise Award during an online event hosted by Dallas Baptist University in partnership with WFAA-TV and Shelly Slater Strategies. The award is presented to individuals whose lives are testimonies of excellence in business leadership while demonstrating a spirit of generosity and service to the community. Pete Delkus, WFAA-TV chief meteorologist and DBU trustee, served as the emcee for the virtual event. Sparkey Beckham has served as chairman of the board of trustees for both Baylor Healthcare System and Baylor University Medical Center. Merrie Beckham helped establish one of the first Mothers of Preschoolers programs in Texas, in addition to serving with several civic and educational institutions.

Students in Baylor University’s “Philanthropy and the Public Good” class directed $90,000 to seven Waco-area nonprofit organizations. After spending the semester evaluating 50 prospective grant recipients, the class announced the award winners in a virtual ceremony on Nov. 23. The two largest grants are $25,000 to Esther’s Closet, a self-sufficiency program to assist unemployed women in Waco and help them escape poverty; and $21,700 to the Talitha Koum Institute, a mental health therapeutic nurture center that focuses on the brain development of at-risk children from infancy to 5 years old. Other grant recipients are the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children, the Care Net Pregnancy Center of Central Texas, CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) of McLennan County, the Community Cancer Association and The Cove, a nurturing center for homeless teens. Jeremy Vickers, associate vice president of external affairs, and Holly Burchett, director of community relations at Baylor, taught the fall 2020 “Philanthropy and the Public Good” class. The Baylor/Waco Foundation, led by the Solid Gold Neighbor Ambassador Council, provided funding for the course this semester. The council is composed of 25 local community members representing the five areas of focus of Baylor’s Solid Gold Neighbor community engagement initiative—economic development, health, education, cultural wealth and city growth. Additional funding was provided by Aramark and the Philanthropy Lab. Since fall 2014, a class of Baylor students has stewarded and given away nearly $800,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations in partnership with the Philanthropy Lab. The Fort Worth-based Philanthropy Lab and its donor partners have given more than $9 million to build philanthropy education at 29 universities across the United States since 2011. More than 3,115 students have participated in philanthropy courses affiliated with The Philanthropy Lab.

East Texas Baptist University participated in its fifth annual Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan’s Purse program that provides shoeboxes filled with small toys, school supplies and other items to children in developing nations. “In the past, the Tiger student-athletes would stuff their boxes and write notes all together, but with COVID protocols in place, each team was given a time slot to participate safely while enjoying cookies and Christmas music,” said Ryan Erwin, ETBU vice president for student engagement and athletics. This year, each residence hall on the campus also contributed shoeboxes to the cause. ETBU collected more than 300 boxes, a record for the university. Students from ETBU’s freshman Learning and Leading seminar also spread holiday cheer by creating gifts of thanksgiving and appreciation for all of the administrators, teachers and staff in the Marshall Independent School District.

Martin Mintchev, director of the engineering science program at Howard Payne University, and his students recently unveiled Aurakills—wearable personal protective equipment designed to emit a virus- and bacteria-destroying UV aura believed to be effective against COVID-19. The fully functional prototype is a modified baseball cap that features battery-powered, built-in LEDs embedded in the bill. Mintchev devised Aurakills as a practical educational experience for his students. In addition to its benefits in the fight against COVID-19, the project—which has a patent pending—was designed to give students an opportunity to build intellectual property, participate in the process of developing an invention into a patent and monetize the project through a real business partnership. The device is intended to replace commercially available face shields. Mintchev formed the Aurakills partnership with three seniors majoring in engineering science—Talen Davis-Rentfro of Kaufman as chief executive officer, Paden Seidel of Brownwood as chief technology officer and Jacob Bonner of Copperas Cove as chief operating officer. Mintchev serves as president of the partnership. “I sincerely hope this new technology will disseminate nationally and internationally the unique HPU response to the challenge COVID-19 presents,” Mintchev said. “This is the type of market-oriented, innovative answer America is always able to give when challenged, this time coming from a small Christian university located in the heart of Texas.”

Baylor University announced a $1.5 million gift commitment to help establish a new endowed faculty position within the Hankamer School of Business honoring Dean Terry S. Maness on his upcoming retirement and years of service. The gift, given by an anonymous Baylor alumnus, is part of a fundraising effort among the Hankamer Business School’s alumni to honor Maness’s legacy, while providing endowment support for the Lab-to-Market program, an interdisciplinary program that serves as the pipeline for translating research into viable commercial and business concepts at Baylor. The Terry S. Maness Endowed Chair in Lab-to-Market Entrepreneurship also qualifies for the Baylor Academic Challenge program, the university’s dollar-for-dollar matching program for faculty positions created through donor support that undergird and advance the priorities of the Illuminate strategic academic plan. The faculty holder of the Maness Chair will be instrumental in identifying and implementing opportunities and avenues for graduate and undergraduate students to participate in discovery and commercialization efforts through the Lab-to-Market program.

Houston Baptist University named Stanley Napper as provost and vice president for academic affairs. Napper recently was the dean of the College of Science and Engineering and has been serving as interim provost at HBU. “Dr. Napper brings years of academic achievement as a scholar, teacher and administrator to this role,” said HBU President Robert Sloan. “The university will benefit greatly from his experienced leadership, faithful commitment and collegial manner.” Napper served on the faculty and administration of Louisiana Tech University 33 years before joining HBU in 2017 to establish engineering programs.

Dean Dickens was named the 12^th annual recipient of the Maples/Williamson/Daehnert Award as the Texas Baptist Interim Minister of the Year. Dickens has served congregations during the interim period at First Baptist Church in Texas City, Audubon Park Baptist Church in Garland, Agape Baptist Church in Fort Worth and South Garland Baptist Church in Garland. He served previously as a pastor, church starter, missionary and seminary professor. He and his wife of 50 years, Karr La, live in Garland.

A Hispanic Student Union formed at Dallas Baptist University this year as a student-led organization to provide social connection and servant leadership opportunities to the university’s growing Hispanic population. Robert Vasquez, inaugural president of the DBU Hispanic Student Union, described the need for the organization. “A saying that has resonated with me is ‘ni de aquí, ni de allá,’ which translates as ‘neither here, nor there.’ As Hispanic-Americans, we are caught between two completely different cultures and sometimes it feels like we don’t really have a place where we fit in,” Vasquez said. “A goal of the Hispanic Student Union is to create a home for students who feel out of place.” Staff sponsors are David Reyes, director of student affairs; Ana Moreno, secretary in the College of Math and Natural Sciences; and Ariel Banda, undergraduate admissions counselor. “Hispanic culture means fellowship, family, sincerity, joy, unity and integrity to me—not to mention, the cuisine is just as rich as the cultural elements,” said Cendy Sánchez, vice president of the DBU Hispanic Student Union. “It’s amazing that DBU is fostering an environment for students to learn about this culture while creating a home for others.”

Jonathan Darnell of Artesia, N.M., and Sebastien Tremulot of France, who will graduate from Wayland Baptist University this semester with degrees in business administration, recently added a world-class accomplishment to their resumes. Working as a team, they finished in a tie for the No. 1 ranking in a global Business Strategy Game, competing against students from more than 49 countries. The game is used by business schools to train students to make management decisions. Teams compete as a shoe company and are evaluated based on earnings per share, return on average equity and stock prices. Darnell and Tremulot earned a top 100 ranking the first week and continued to build on their performance throughout the 10-week exercise. They spent the last five weeks with an overall No. 1 ranking.

East Texas Baptist University recognized 72 graduating seniors by presenting their official ETBU class ring at a Nov. 9 ring blessing ceremony. As a token and gift of appreciation from the university to graduating seniors, the ring symbolizes ETBU’s blessing over students as they commence from school to pursue their vocational callings. Each ring features the ETBU seal, surrounded by the cornerstones of the university—veritas, mores and scientia (Latin for truth, character and knowledge). Also inscribed in the ring are significant icons of ETBU and the Christian faith, such as Marshall Hall, the Light on the Hill, Max Greiner’s Divine Servant statue and the Bible. “Students, you will be challenged to live out your faith while you wear this ring,” ETBU President J. Blair Blackburn said. “This symbol on your hand is a reminder of your Christ-centered educational experience at ETBU, and hopefully, you will use it to create conversations with other people about what faith in Jesus means, and what your ETBU experience meant to you.”

Howard Payne University recently received $150,000 from Creative Solutions in Healthcare founders Gary Blake and Malisa Blake for the university’s nursing program. The gift will be used to establish an endowed nursing scholarship and help provide equipment for the HPU School of Nursing. The scholarship will be available to HPU nursing students from Brown County and the surrounding area. “The Blakes believe that, when God blesses, he does so in order for us to pass those blessings on to others,” HPU President Cory Hines said. “The Blakes share a deep heart to see Brownwood develop as a city known for premiere healthcare and services. They see HPU playing a vital role in training and equipping nurses to provide this high level of compassionate and caring service for the residents of Brown County and beyond.” HPU also received $25,000 from Brookshire Grocery Company to establish a scholarship at HPU. In order to be eligible for the Brookshire scholarship, students must maintain a 2.5 GPA and be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours in the semester they will receive the scholarship. Students majoring in accounting, business administration, computer information systems, finance, management, marketing or communications are eligible to apply. Recipients who maintain the eligibility requirements will continue to receive the scholarship for the duration of their undergraduate careers at HPU.

East Texas Baptist University hosted its sixth annual Calling Conference on Nov. 4 for students who feel called to vocational ministry. The conference provided students with a deeper understanding of how to identify and pursue their callings with opportunities to learn from experienced ministry professionals. Guest speakers were Jonathan Grenz, dean of the School of Ministry at Palm Beach Academy, and Phil Miller, acting director of the Great Commission Team for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. “You are on your own path, and you are discerning the way that it works for you,” Grenz told students. “Your specific calling, the unique thing that God wants to do in your life is progressive. It is unfolding over the course of your life. Where you are now is a great place to be, and where you’re at tomorrow is a great place to be, and where you’re going to be at 20 years from now is a great place to be. Focus on now and then let that calling unfold.”

Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary launched a 10-course, primary-level certificate program in community development and ministry. The seminary developed the program in consultation with Jimmy Dorrell, co-founder and president emeritus of Mission Waco/Mission World and pastor of Waco’s Church Under the Bridge. The program includes six foundation-level courses, a class and project in Christian community development, a class in Christian witness and Mission Waco’s poverty simulation as an elective option. Dorrell will teach the class on “Community Development and Ministry” next year in Waco on Jan. 5-10 and in Houston at the No Need Among You Conference on Oct. 4-8. For more information, click here.

Jeff Ross was named interim senior executive director for Buckner Children and Family Services in Southeast Texas, effective Nov. 1. Ross will oversee operations serving vulnerable children and families in Houston, Beaumont and the surrounding areas. Ross has served with Buckner since 1995, most recently serving as the transitional program director in Beaumont. Previous roles with Buckner have included counselor, clinical director, program director, associate administrator and acting executive director. “Over the course of his 25-year career with Buckner, Jeff has time and again proven his dedication to serving the most vulnerable in Southeast Texas with faith, integrity and respect,” said Buckner Children and Family Services Senior Vice President Henry Jackson. “He will bring those same qualities to his work as interim senior executive director, providing leadership for our teams in Beaumont and Houston.” Ross earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Manitoba, and he earned both a Master of Business Administration degree and a Master of Science degree in community-counseling psychology from Lamar University. He is a licensed professional counselor and supervisor, a licensed child placing agency administrator and a licensed child care administrator. He and his wife Christina have a son Gavin, who is enrolled in the U.S. Air Force Academy, and a daughter Erin, who is a freshman at McNeese University in Lake Charles, La.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Scarborough College will hold an in-person commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. on Dec. 4 for both spring and fall 2020 graduates. The seminary had canceled its spring commencement ceremony last May due to COVID-19—the first such cancelation in the institution’s 112-year history. The Dec. 4 ceremony will take place in MacGorman Chapel, with only graduates, faculty, and production staff present in the room. The nearly 29,000-square-foot auditorium has a typical seating capacity of 3,367, which has been significantly reduced for social distancing purposes to less than 600. At this point, 331 graduates have indicated their intention to participate in the ceremony, along with about 80 faculty and staff. Meanwhile, the graduates’ families will view commencement via a live simulcast from various locations across the Fort Worth campus. Social distancing will be employed in each location, and all attendees will be required to wear face masks. Stations for gatherings of families to meet with graduates following the ceremony will also be available across the 200-acre campus. Spring graduates, who received their diplomas by mail, have been invited to return for the fall ceremony in order to walk across the stage alongside the fall graduates. For family members and friends unable to attend, the ceremony also will be broadcast on Facebook Live.

East Texas Baptist University received $25,000 from Tyler-based Brookshire Grocery Company to establish an endowed scholarship program. Brookshire announced the establishment of the Focus on the Future scholarship program in partnership with ETBU and more than 40 other universities and colleges in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. The program is designed to reward students in Brookshire’s market areas for their dedication, hard work and outstanding academic achievements. “East Texas Baptist University is thrilled to receive support from the Brookshire Grocery Company’s Focus on the Future scholarship program,” said Scott Bryant, ETBU vice president for advancement. “Our students and their families benefit from scholarship support provided through endowments like this one. The Brookshire Grocery Company has a great reputation and has an outstanding history of serving our community well. East Texas Baptist University is thankful for the partnership with Brad Brookshire and the Brookshire Grocery Company.”

The nonprofit Aggie Women organization recognized Irma Alvarado of First Baptist Church in Donna for her trailblazing legacy as one of the first Hispanic women to graduate from Texas A&M University. Alvarado earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Texas A&M in 1970. She went on to work as a teacher for the Donna Independent School District, as well as at-risk counselor for the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD and Ethel Carman Elementary School in San Juan. Alvarado is a former officer of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas and Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, and she served on the board of consultants for the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission.

The Baptist History and Heritage Society named J. David Holcomb, professor of history and political science at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, as recipient of the 2020 Norman W. Cox Award. The award is named in honor of the first executive secretary of the Historical Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. The society presents the award annually to the person judged to have submitted the best article published in the Baptist History & Heritage Journal in the preceding calendar year. Holcomb’s winning article, “Baptists and the Johnson Amendment,” appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of the Journal.

Tom J. Nettles has been appointed a visiting professor of historical theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He will teach a course titled “Scripture” that will examine the doctrine of the Bible, December 7-11 on the Fort Worth campus. Nettles earned both his Master of Divinity degree and his Ph.D. from Southwestern Seminary. He served on Southwestern Seminary’s faculty in the church history department from 1976 to 1982.

J.W. “Jack” MacGorman, professor of New Testament theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1948 to 2001, will celebrate his 100th birthday Dec. 26. He cannot receive visitors other than family, but his daughter Linda indicated he would enjoy receiving celebratory notes and cards from friends, colleagues and former students. Correspondence may be sent to 34 Chelsea Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76134-1915.